How do I explain?

[3_disprincesses]

So we took my then 4 year old for her first trip to WDW last September. She is a "Princess Groupie" and had a great time meeting all the characters. Now this weekend she asks "Is Mickey and Goofy just dressed up in costumes?" I was heartbroken! How do you all talk to your children about this? I asked her didn't she touch them and didn't they feel real and of course her answer was "Yes". And I asked her "didn't Cinderella and the other princesses look real?" and again her answer was "Yes". I don't expect her to keep believing that Mickey is really this giant mouse but I want a great explaination of how the Magic lives in all of us and you just have to believe! I'm afraid Santa, the tooth fairy (and she hasn't even experienced the tooth fairy) will be next! I am sure some of you already have the best answers! Help Me Out?! She's too young to lose the magic!!!!!

 

[GoinToDisney]

When my daughter (also age 4) asks questions like that, I just say, "Hmmm....what do you think?" I figure that if she slowly realizes these things little by little, then maybe it's better than a shock when she is older. I don't know. Even after I knew that Santa wasn't real, waking up to all of those presents and tinsel on the tree was still magical. I still get excited to meet Mickey, knowing he is just a guy in a costume. Disney magic hits me as soon as I see the sign and takes me to another reality even as an adult.

 

[Disney is Magic]

Maybe you can take the approach of Mickey and Goofy and the like have lots of "helpers" so that lots of kids can meet them and give them hugs and love My daughter just turned 3 and I am not sure how I would handle answering a Q like that....Maybe you could ask her why she would think that, it could be that an older shild told her those things, and maybe you could play it off like "some kids just like to tell stories to make you sad..."

 

[3_disprincesses]

I did ask her why she would think that about Mickey and Goofy but she just kind of shrugged it off. I had also asked her if they were real in her heart because they are in mine and she agreed...for now. I am like you though and figured one of the older kids probably told her that. She does have her Moms heart and I'm sure will always "believe" no matter what!

 

[Lesley Mahler]

I read this in another post with the same questions and I loved one of the posters answer, I plan on using it when the time comes, so I'll share with you now! The other poster told her daughter, if they aren't real and it is just someone dressed up in a costume, how amazing and special to be able to be that person to be able to bring so much magic and happiness to everyone. Doesn't that just sound magical!!!

 

[SueM in MN]

When my daughter (also age 4) asks questions like that, I just say, "Hmmm....what do you think?" I figure that if she slowly realizes these things little by little, then maybe it's better than a shock when she is older. I don't know. Even after I knew that Santa wasn't real, waking up to all of those presents and tinsel on the tree was still magical. I still get excited to meet Mickey, knowing he is just a guy in a costume. Disney magic hits me as soon as I see the sign and takes me to another reality even as an adult.

that is exactly what I did when my kids were little.
The kids actually come up with an answer that makes sense to them at whatever age they are.
There is no 'rule' that parents have to answer every question and sometimes when we try, we end up making more questions in the kids minds.

The first time oldest DD asked, when I asked what she thought, she decided the characters must be real. The next few times, she said she thought they were real, but she asked me a few more questions. The next time, she decided they were people, but then we talked about how she had figured it out, but now she was big enough to know she had to remember that some other kids had not figured it out.

 

[emma'smom]

My dd6 wanted to know why they had zippers on the backs of their bodies.....This year I'm sure she'll know. I think I'll play it off as the "helper" thing. That seems to work with Santa still...

 

[PrincessBelle39]

My dd6 asked last year and I also did the 'Well you have met them, what do you think?' She decided that they were real.

 

[PrincessBelle39]

My dd6 asked last year and I also did the 'Well you have met them, what do you think?' She decided that they were real.

 

[brandylouwho]

Our daughter was 4 too when this came up. She didn't ask if they are people in costumes, she told me that they are. I didn't really address that issue directly (I didn't agree nor disagree), but we talked about how fun Disney is and how fun it is to meet & take photos with Mickey and the gang. At the end I mentioned that she does have a little sister and it would be mean to tell her Micky isn't real because she LOVES Mickey.

I am always torn about stuff like this...keeping the little kids little for awhile longer vs. being proud that they are smart & their little questioning minds have figured out that those are people in costumes.

Now that she is 5 she definitley understands that they are people in costumes...but she still loves to get autographs. the truth doesn't ruin the magic one bit. (and in my book it is another reason to take your first trip to WDW while the kids are still preschoolers).

 

[luvwdwfla2]

I have kinda gone the helper route. Not sure how long it will last. Like with Santa I say you never really know when you might be with the real one. Mickey has more then one disneyworld to got to, and make sure everything is working and the villians are behaving. Since he is the guy in charge. I do the same with Santa, you may have the real one or helper. He has lots of kids to check on. Not sure how much longer this will work. Kids grow up so fast these days it is kinda sad.

 

[Brer Shay]

A story on this when my DD was 6

DD- "Grandma, I know who you're favorite character is!"
Gma- "Who"
DD- "Jiminy Cricket"
Gma- "That's right. Wasn't is great that I got to meet him?"
DD- "Sure. But Grandma, he's not really a cricket."
Gma - "What do you mean?"
DD-"It was just a person inside a costume."
Gma- "Well sure, but it was still very special. Kind of like for you meeting the princesses."
DD - in complete and utter seriousness and a bit of superiority, "Oh no, grandma. The princesses are real."

I'll never forget that. As I talked with her more over the trip and as we came home, it seems that she believed the costumed characters were just dress up, but that the face characters were real. Kids can rectify all sorts of things in their minds that we don't necessarily have to explain. I would suggest not telling her anything specifically, but let her tell you what she thinks.

I'm looking forward to what DD thinks on our trip in June.

 

[Lesley Mahler]

My dd6 wanted to know why they had zippers on the backs of their bodies.....This year I'm sure she'll know. I think I'll play it off as the "helper" thing. That seems to work with Santa still...

DD6 asked the same question about the zippers and DH told her that they were not zippers, that was a bandaid, but Disney was so special, that their bandaids matched them perfectly!! She bought it!!

 

[gingerjohnjillian]

My dd who was six at the time asked me why Cinderella had different eyes and a different voice then last night. we were at CRT and had been at 1900 park the day before. I told her Cinderella had been up late dancing with the Prince and was just tired. lol i don't know what to tell her but after that I spaced my princesses out better.

 

[mbanks21]

What the heck are you talking about? Guys in costumes? Of course theyre real. Always have been always will be

 

[kateej]

I am totally laughing out loud reading this -- kids say the greatest things! Here's another question - when we went to WDW last time, my DD then 3 1/2 kept wondering why the characters would talk during the parade and shows (and on tv, for that matter), but not when you met them, but the princesses would. I totally flubbed some type of answer I can't even remember. But, she'll be turning 5 next week for our next trip (it's a total surprise to her - we're telling her on Friday night ) -- not sure she'll ask again as I think she thinks the characters are in costume now, but anyone have any advice on what to say for that one if she does?

 

[WeLoveLilo05]

omg.....you mean they're NOT real? haha
Now I am sad, I hope my daughter doesn't ask me that question when we go in May.
I think I might tell her it's magic because that's what Disney is all about.

 

[toy]

I had to answer this question earlier than I wanted to. One of mine was afraid of the characters so I told them all that it was just a person wearing a costume like during halloween. Once he knew that they all love the characters as if they were real. We haven't had to answer that question any more. My 8 year old squeals with delight every time we go to Disney. She loves that mouse as if he were part of the family. We are going for her 9th birthday in April.

 

[3_disprincesses]

I am totally laughing out loud reading this -- kids say the greatest things! Here's another question - when we went to WDW last time, my DD then 3 1/2 kept wondering why the characters would talk during the parade and shows (and on tv, for that matter), but not when you met them, but the princesses would. I totally flubbed some type of answer I can't even remember. But, she'll be turning 5 next week for our next trip (it's a total surprise to her - we're telling her on Friday night ) -- not sure she'll ask again as I think she thinks the characters are in costume now, but anyone have any advice on what to say for that one if she does?

On this one we tell her that Mickey, Donald, etc can only talk in the movies. They aren't allowed to talk to each person because there are so many people they would lose their voices...they're not as strong as people are! She bought it.

 

[liznboys]

I had to answer this question earlier than I wanted to. One of mine was afraid of the characters so I told them all that it was just a person wearing a costume like during halloween. Once he knew that they all love the characters as if they were real. We haven't had to answer that question any more. My 8 year old squeals with delight every time we go to Disney. She loves that mouse as if he were part of the family. We are going for her 9th birthday in April.

Same thing happened here. One of mine was afraid so I told them that they are people in costumes and that totally helped with the fear thing. But it didn't ruin any of the fun! My boys have the same view as adults who love the characters do...they know the truth but they know that it's fun to play along and pretend.